Device for training children to overcome fear of darkness



Sept. 5, 1950 c. M. LERTZMAN DEVICE FOR TRAINING CHILDREN T0 OVERCOMBEAR 0F DARKNESS Flled Apnl 12, 1949 gwuqm fo'n CARL M. LERTZMAN ATTORNEYPatented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED DEVICE FOR TRAINING CHILDREN T OVERICOMEFEAR OF DARKNESS *Carl M. Lertzman, Hollywood, Calif.

Application April 12, 1949, Serial No. 86,987

' This invention relates to educational devices and more particularly toa device for training children to overcome fear of darkness.

It is an object of my invention to provide in combination a conventionaltype of wall switch and a conventional type of music box in proximity toeach other so as to lend a high degree of attraction for children; tothe end that a child will be strongly tempted to go into a darkened roomwithout an accompanying adult and switch the light on, thus overcominghis natural fear of darkness.

'It is another object of my invention to construct the combination as aunitary item in such a manner that it can be easily installed in aconventional wall receptacle as customarily used in lightinginstallations.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a co-action betweenthe switch and the music box for the purpose of automatically causingthe music box to play when the switch is thrown to the "on position.

Additional objects and features of my invention will be apparent fromthe detailed disclosure which now follows taken in conjunction with theappended drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of my novel combination as installed,partially in section, and

Figure 2 is a front view of the structure.

In attaining the objects of my invention I utilize a conventional switchplate of common design on which is mounted a music box of the springpower type and a toggle switch.

With reference to the drawing my combination comprises a face plate Itfastened as by screws I l to a conventional receptacle I2 in a 'wellknown manner. The face plate carries at its rear, a music box [3 forexample, as shown in the patent to Darche No. 2,321,365 of June 8, 1943,secured thereto in any suitable manner (not shown). A winding knob l5,which is understood to be attached to the winding shaft (not shown) ofthe music box is disposed exteriorly Of the plate. A pair ofdiametrically opposed ears iii, are carried by knob Hi. The knob andears may be integrally molded of bright colored plastic in order toenhance the appearance of the device. Ordinarily the music box ismaintained in a wound up condition but is prevented from playing exceptwhen the light in the room is turned on by means of a switch 20.

Switch 20 is of conventional construction and is carried by plate It,and will be understood to be wired into the lighting circuit so as tocontrol 8 Claims. (Cl. 842) stalled, such connections being made in theusual manner. handle 22, so oriented that when thrown to the upward orofi position it is disposed at least partially in the arcuate path ofthe ears I8 of the music box winding knob. This condition is illustratedby dotted lines in Figure 2; thus when the switch is in the off positionthe music box is rendered inoperative upon engagement of one or theother of the ears l8 with lever 22, since rotation of knob i5 isnecessary for the box to play, which rotation cannot continue beyond thepoint where either ear l8 abuts the switch handle. When, however, lever22 is thrown to the on position there is no impediment in the path ofears l8 and accordingly knob l5 and its associated shaft are permittedto rotate and music is then audible, emanating from the wall which actseffectively as a sounding board to amplify the sound amplitude to asurprising degree.

While it is not essential that the co-action between the switch leverand the winding knob be provided in order to obtain the basic effect ofmy invention, so doing lends an additional attractiveness to a timidchild. Ordinarily without such co-action, however, a child may beinduced to go into a darkened room and switch on the light in order tohave an opportunity to play with the music box. In some cases a childmay be induced to go into a darkened room and actually wind up the musicbox in order to hear it play before switching on the light. A furtheraspect of the combination resides in training .a child to locate thelight switch in the dark by having an adult go into the room and wind upthe music box so that the sound therefrom will guide the child to theswitch, thus making an interesting game in the course of training achild in self -reliance.

While I regard my invention as bein primarily a child training device inthat it can be used to induce timid children to venture into darkenedrooms by virtue of the temptation to play with a music box directlymounted in close proximity to a wall switch, the device is by no meanslimited to that aspect. In view of its novelty and high entertainmentvalue my combination can be used in other suitable ways, for example, inconjunction with a bar for serving drinks as frequently found installedin homes. Whereas in the case of a childs room, the music box would playsome appropriate juvenile tune or lullaby, when used in conjunction witha bar or other adult contrivance an appropriate drinking song may be thelights in the room in which my device is inprovided.

The switch is provided with a toggle It will be appreciated that manychanges may be made and various forms of the invention constructedwithout departing from the spirit of this disclosure, and accordingly Ido not seek to be limited to the specific illustrations given hereinexcept as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An educational device comprising a Wall switch face plate, a musicbox disposed rearwardly of said plate so as to be concealed in a wallwhen said plate is mounted for use, and a switch mechanism mounted onsaid face plate, said music box having a winding handle disposedforwardly of said plate and said switch having a control handle disposedexteriorly of said plate.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, including means operative betweensaid switch mechanism and said music box for maintaining said music boxin non-operating condition when saidswitch control handle is in apredetermined position.

' -3. .A'deviceas set forth in claim 1, wherein said winding handle isprovided with ear means, said switch control handle comprising a movablemember engageable by said ear means when said controlhandleis in offposition.

4. A device as set .forth in claim 1, wherein said winding handle andswitch handle comprise means which are mutually engageable to rendersaid music box non-operative when said switch handle is in off position,said means being disengaged when said switch handle is inon position.

5. An educational device comprising a wall switch .face plate, a musicbox disposed rearwardly "of said plate .so as to be concealed 'in a wallwhen said plate is mounted thereon, and a switch mechanism mounted .onsaid face plate, said music box havinga winding handle disposedexteriorly of said plate, wherein said winding handle and switch handlecomprise means which 4 are mutually engageable to render said music boxnon-operative when said switch handle is in off position and beingdisengaged when said switch handle is in on position, said meanscomprising a plurality of cars integrally carried by said windinghandle.

6. An educational device comprising a wall switch face plate, a musicbox secured thereto and carried thereby and a switch mechanism mountedthereon, said music box having a winding handle disposed so as to beaccessible exteri-* orly of the plate.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6, including a control handle for saidswitch and means intermediate said control handle and said windinghandle for rendering said winding handle substantially inoperative whensaid control handle is in "ofP position.

8. An educational device comprising a. wall switch plate, a musicboxicarried thereby, a switch carried thereby, and means intermediatesaid music box and said switch for rendering said music box operativewhen said switch is in the on position.

CARL M. .LER'IlZMA'N.

REFERENCES CITED The following references :are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,734,770 Kayan Nov. 5, 19292,252,288 Kind .Aug. 12, 1941 2,321,365 Darche June 8, 1943 2,333,787 DeHofimann Nov.-.9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 626,839France May 21, 1927

